Critical care: advancing an ethic of care in theory and practice

The Care, Health and Wellbeing (CHEW) researchers from SSPARC at the University of Brighton hosted this conference in collaboration with Dr Tula Brannelly, Massey University, New Zealand and Dr Nicki Ward, Birmingham University.

Overview

Care has been and remains a contested concept. The notion of 'critical care' reflects the way in which:

  • Ethics of care scholars and practitioners have highlighted the critical place of care in ensuring survival, wellbeing and social justice.
  • Care has been subject to critique for being oppressive, paternalistic and at odds with disabled people's struggle for citizenship.
  • Care is a political as well as personal issue.

There are examples of what are nominally 'care services' being revealed to be anything but caring. Criticisms of what is called 'care' reveal the necessity for a critical analysis of how and why poor practice and abuse continues.

The pursuit of a positively critical approach to both the theory and practice of an ethic of care is timely. This conference was designed to stimulate and develop a growing body of scholarship and practice wisdom challenging the dominance of neo-liberal thinking that has relegated care values to a marginal position. It reflects enduring evidence of the importance of care in people's everyday lives and in policy making.

Critical-care-conference

(Left to right) Dr Lizzie Ward, Dr Nicki Ward, Professor Marian Barnes, Dr Tula Brannelly, Professor Joan Tronto, Professor Inguun Moser

Conference programme

Download the conference programme (PDF)

Impact

Over 100 delegates from 17 countries attended with a shared interest in developing work that can promote critical thinking about care. Our aim was to bring together people working on an ethic of care in different contexts and from different perspectives. The diversity of contributors raised many questions and issues that need further exploration and development. 

Care Ethics Global Network

The network provides a space where care ethics and care ethicists have a presence and is the first care ethics network to provide information about social science research to audiences such as users of care services and policy makers and where for example, potential students may find research supervisors. The network is hosted in New Zealand by eSOCSCI – engaged social science: Hui Rangahau Tahi. For more information contact Dr Tula Brannelly